As one of the report's authors said in a statement: "Given the secretive nature of this elusive cat, it has been difficult to gather hard information on the species, leading to its plight being overlooked. Our findings show that the large space requirements for cheetah, coupled with the complex range of threats faced by the species in the wild, mean that it is likely to be much more vulnerable to extinction than was previously thought."

The main threats cheetahs face are human-related: conflict with human populations, overhunting, habitat loss and illegal trafficking. And they encounter these dangerous situations both in and out of conservation areas.

Scientists say because cheetahs can adapt and thrive outside of protected areas, they could bounce back. But they need some major conservation efforts put into place.